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Though he came up short in the points standings with a fifth-place finish, McDermand \u2014 like several others \u2014\u00a0cemented his place in the national Midget ranks as a star of the Xtreme Outlaw Series and with the others ushered in a brand-new era of talent.<\/p>\n
Midget goliaths of USAC in the late 2010s \u2014\u00a0Seavey, Thorson, Courtney, Windom \u2014\u00a0have gone on to broaden their open-wheel racing horizons, opening the door for the present-day roster of stars \u2014\u00a0McDermand, McIntosh, Daum, Timms, among others \u2014 to make their mark aboard the Xtreme Outlaw Series.<\/p>\n
McDermand \u2014 a multi-time regional Midget champion at the turn of the decade \u2014\u00a0spent many years watching the USAC and POWRi greats, dreaming of the day he\u2019d make his mark on the national Midget scene. Now a three-year regular on the Xtreme Outlaw Series, that day has dawned, and he\u2019s never been happier now that it\u2019s here.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels good as a driver to know that I\u2019m a contender,\u201d McDermand said. \u201cIt goes back to maybe six or eight years ago sitting in the stands watching the national Midget races with the guys that were in that position that I am.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really come full circle for me as a driver to be fortunate enough to be in that position. I think [that] says a lot about me and who surrounds me with the team and my family and stuff. It means a lot to all of us to be able to have that privilege throughout the year. I\u2019m just looking forward to making everybody happy, hopefully.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the past three seasons, McDermand has enjoyed continued success with support from Oklahoma-based Mounce\/Stout Motorsports, who he renewed his partnership with in early 2024. Together, they\u2019ve won seven Xtreme Outlaw Series races \u2014\u00a0tied with Jade Avedisian for most all-time.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been good so far; it just feels like home again,\u201d McDermand said. \u201cWe work well together. Last year showed that.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been helpful to have the same notebook as last year. I don\u2019t have to learn a different engine platform and stuff like that, so that\u2019s really helped me get back on the right foot.\u201d<\/p>\n His reunion with team owners Jay Mounce and Gavin Stout came after a sudden change from his original plans for 2024. McDermand announced in November he had entered into a deal with Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports (DMD) to pilot team owner Dave McIntosh\u2019s flagship car and chase the Xtreme Outlaw Series championship.<\/p>\n However, McDermand was forced to make other arrangements before the season opener in March after McIntosh informed him that he would not be able to continue operations at DMD in 2024, and so he picked up the phone.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like I had a good plan moving forward to better myself and my racing career,\u201d McDermand said. \u201cThe way things played out \u2014 the economy isn\u2019t as good as it once was, and [McIntosh] decided it was better to close the doors on his racing program, at least for now.<\/p>\n \u201cThe way things played out so far is probably the best that could\u2019ve happened. I feel like the speed we\u2019ve had already this season shows that. Now, it\u2019s just all focus on the season ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n McDermand has built his racing mentality on forward thinking. He\u2019s back in his comfort zone at Mounce\/Stout, looking forward to getting his first win of the year and defending his 2023 victories next weekend at Humboldt and 81. Though it\u2019s been a year since those wins, he\u2019s accepting of the challenge.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.dirtcar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/05\/02171644\/3C9A5406-1024x683.jpg\")
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